Posts tagged History
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Time zone: How documents from the 1930s shed light on DC’s land use today
The National Capital Planning Commission began its 100-year celebrations with a review of some of the many documents in its new digital library. GGWash’s DC Policy Director, Alex Baca, presented. Keep reading…
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Opened 40 years ago this week, Federal City Shelter remains essential
This week marks 40 years of social service and resilience at CCNV’s Federal City Shelter. Originally seen as a short-term solution, it remains a critical refuge today. Read about its history and the state of homelessness in DC. Keep reading…
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GGWash Picks of 2023: Where is downtown DC? It’s up for debate
DC’s zoning map provides one definition for Downtown, business improvement districts and the Census Bureau give others — and none of them are perfect. Keep reading…
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GGWash Picks of 2023: Is Prince George’s County losing its status as the region’s Black promised land?
For years, Prince George’s County was known as a mecca for Black homeownership and middle to upper class growth. However, its status as such is not so guaranteed. Keep reading…
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GGWash Picks of 2023: Greenbelt and Langston Terrace planners promised quality housing — and to improve residents’ morality
The unique New Deal planned communities were designed to address DC’s acute housing shortage in the 1930s and uplift the virtue of residents, but ultimately failed to live up to their full promise. Keep reading…
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GGWash Picks of 2023: Tastee Diner is not Silver Spring’s soul
I wondered why I can’t just give in and enjoy Tastee Diner the same way. One reason is that, for a few reasons, I didn’t go to Tastee Diner much. The other is that to say one diner marks the decline of an entire community is short-sighted. Keep reading…
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Massive monument to falsified Confederate history soon to leave Arlington
Following a vigorous advocacy campaign by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a historically-inaccurate Confederate monument to soldiers who fought against the United States has sat in Arlington Cemetery for over a century. Despite opposition, a 2021 law mandates its removal by January. Keep reading…
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Historic districts may be preserving racial segregation in DC
Unpacking the “historic preservation”…of segregation: Historic districts in DC are 62 percent white and 15 percent Black. Outside of historic districts, the District’s population is 49 percent black and 31 percent white. Keep reading…
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A Chevy Chase group wants a historic district. What’s a historic district?
Historic districts sound charming, but what do they mean for neighborhoods’ ability to grow and evolve with changing needs over time? We’ve got an explainer for that. Keep reading…
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The lessons of DC’s circles and squares
From the 1870s up to the present day, competing interests — erecting monuments and memorials, preserving space for civic recreation, and catering to vehicular traffic — have led to drastic changes in our shared public spaces. Keep reading…